OR 159 Establishes weight of load limitations for trucks & other load-carrying vehicles AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF COPPELL, TEXAS
ORDINANCE NO. 159
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF COPPELL, TEXAS, ESTABLISHING
WEIGHT OF LOAD LIMITATIONS FOR TRUCKS AND OTHER LOAD-CARRYING
VEHICLES WHILE OPERATING UPON THE PUBLIC STREETS AND PUBLIC WAYS
WITHIN THE CITY; REPEALING ALL PARTS OF ANY ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT
WITH THIS ORDINANCE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION OF THIS ORDINANCE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM
OF TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200.00) FOR EACH OFFENSE AND DECLARING
AN EMERGENCY.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COPPELL,
TEXAS:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.
The following words and phrases, when used in this Ordinance,
shall, for the purpose of this Ordinance, have the meanings respec-
tively ascribed to them in this section, as follows:
"Vehicle." Every mechanical device, in, upon or by which
any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a
public highway, including motor vehicles, commercial motor vehicles,
truck-tractors, trailers, and semi-trailers, severally, as herein-
after defined, but excepting devices moved by human power o~ used
exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
"Motor Vehicle." Every vehicle, as herein defined, which is
self-propelled.
"Commercial Motor Vehicle." Any motor vehicle other than a
motorcycle, designed or used for the transportation of proper~y,
including every vehicle used for delivery purposes.
"Truck-tractors." Every motor vehicle designed or used
primarily for drawing other vehicles, and not so constructed as to
carry a load other than a part of the weight of the vehicle and
load so drawn.
"Trailer." Every vehicle without motive power designed
or used for carrying property or passengers wholly on its own
structure and to be drawn by a motor vehicle.
"Semi-trailer." Every vehicle of the trailer type so
designed or used in conjunction with a motor vehicle that some
part of its own weight and that of its own load rests upon or is
carried by another motor vehicle.
SECTION 2. WEIGHT LOAD ON ROADWAYS.
Except as otherwise provided by law, no commercial motor
vehicle, truck-tractor, trailer or semi-trailer, nor combination
of such vehicles, shall be operated over, on, or upon the public
roadways within the corporate limits of the City, having a weight
in excess of one or more of the following limitations:
Distance in feet ' ' ]~laximum load in
betxveen the extremes pounds carried on
of any group of axles '- i~ny group of axles
4., .......... :. ........... ~ 32 000
· ' 32 000
5 ............ : ......................................
"6':. .......................... ~.; .... ; .............. 32,000
32 000
' ~3 700
8 ....................................... ;..-' ........
9 .................................................. 35,400
' 37 ~00
11 .................................................. ~8,800
' 600
' 12 40
...................................................
' ' ' 300
13 .................................................. 42,
14 .................................................. 44,000
15 .................................................. 45,500
16 .......... - ........................................ 47,000
17 .............................. 4 ................... 48,400
18 ................................................... 49,900
19 .................................................. 51,400
20 .................................................. 52,800
21 .................................................. 54,300
22 .................................................. 55,800
23 .................................................. 57,200
Distance in feet Maximum load in
between the extremes pounds carried on
of any group of axles any group of axles
24 ............. , .................................... 58fi00
25 ................................................. 59,650
26 ................................................. 60,600
27 ................................................. 61,550
28 ................................................. 62,500
29 ................................................. 63,450
30 ................................................. 64,400
31 ................................................. 65.350
32 ................................................. 66,300
33 .............. ~ ................................... 67,250
34 .................................................. 68,200
35 .................................................. 69,150
36 ............... · ..... .............................. 70,100
37 ......................................... . .' ......: 71,050
38 .................................................. 72,000
39 .................................................. 72,000
40 .................................................. 72,000
41 .................................................. 72,000
42 ......................................... ......... 72,000
43 .................................................. 72,000
44 .................................................. 72,000
45 .......................................... .: ....... 72.000
46 .................................................. 72,000
The weights set forth in column two of the above table
shall constitute the maximum permissible gross weight for any
such vehicle or combination of such vehicles.
(2) In no event shall the total gross weight, with load,
of any vehicle or combination of vehicles, exceed seventy-two
thousand (72,000) pounds.
(3) No axle shall carry a load in excess of eighteen
thousand (18,000) pounds. An axle load shall be defined as the
total load transmitted to the road by all wheels whose centers
may be included between two (2) parallel transverse vertical planes
forty (40) inches apart, extending across the full width of the
vehicle.
(4) No such vehicle nor combination of vehicles shall
have a greater weight than six hundred (600) pounds per inch width
of tire upon any wheel concentrated upon the surface of the highway
m~d using high-pressure tires, and a greater weight than six hun-
dred and fifty (650) pounds per inch, width of tire upon any wheel
concentrated upon the surface of the highway and using low-pressure
tires, and no wheel shall carry a load in excess of eight thousand
(8,000) pounds on high-pressure tires and nine thousand (9,000)
pounds on low-pressure tires, nor any axle a load in excess of six-
teen thousand (16,000) pounds on high-pressure tires, and eighteen
thousand (18,000) pounds on low-pressure tires. The total gross
weight concentrated on the highway surface from any tandem axle
group. Tandem axle group is defined to be two (2) or more axles
spaced forty (40) inches or more apart from center to center having
at least one (1) common point of weight suspension.
SECTION 3. EXCEPTIONS.
Provided, however, that nothing in this Ordinance shall
in anywise alter, amend or repeal any law of this State authorizing
or providing for special permits for weights in excess of those
provided by law or fixed under this Ordinance.
SECTION 4. WEIGHING LOADED VEHICLES.
Any police officer of the City, having reason to believe
that the gross weight or axle load of a loaded motor vehicle is
unlawful, is authorized to weigh the same or cause the same to
be weighed by any License and Weight Inspector of the Department
of Public Safety, or any sheriff or duly authorized deputy sheriff
by means of portable or stationary scales furnished or approved
by the Department of Public Safety, or cause the same to be
weighed by any public weigher, and to require that such vehicle
be driven to the nearest available scales for the purpose of
weighing.
SECTION 5. REPEALING CLAUSE.
All parts of ordinances inconsistent or in conflict with
the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed.
SECTION 6. SEVERABILITY CLAUSE.
If any article, paragraph or subdivision, clause, phrase
or provision of this Ordinance shall be adjudged invalid or held
~nconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of this
Ordinance as a whole or any part or provision thereof other than
the part so decided to be invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 7. PENALTY CLAUSE.
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the
provisions of this Ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not to exceed the
sum of two hundred dollars ($200.00) for each offense and each
and every day such offense is continued shall constitute a new
and separate offense.
SECTION 8. EMERGENCY CLAUSE.
The fact that the present City regulations are inadequate
to properly protect the public health, safety and welfare, creates
an urgency and an emergency and requires that this Ordinance shall
take effect immediately from and after the publication of its
caption as the law in such cases provides.
DULY PASSED by the City Council of the City of Coppell,
Texas, this 25th day of November, 1975.
ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM: